The Pittsburgh Steelers teams of the 2010s are defined by the trio of Ben Roethlisberger, Antonio Brown and Le'Veon Bell. All three players had the best seasons of their careers when it comes to production when they were on the field together. Often times, those years are referred to as a hit on Mike Tomlin's resume since he was unable to win a Super Bowl, or multiple, with those three dynamic players, although Pittsburgh was always held back by their lackluster defense from 2013 through 2017 when the trio was intact.
The offense was firing on all cylinders until the trio collapsed and dissolved. Bell was constantly in contract disputes and held out the entire 2018 season; he last wore the black and gold in 2017. Brown played through the 2018 season in Pittsburgh, and eventually requested a trade.
Roethlisberger played until he retired following the 2021 season. Brown would go on to catch passes from Tom Brady with both the New England Patriots and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Despite winning Super Bowl LV with Brady, who is considered the best quarterback of all time, Brown still refers to Roethlisberger as the best quarterback he has played with.
Brown has been a loose cannon since leaving Pittsburgh, and he is constantly active on social media. He has had several legal issues, and even ended his last NFL game by running off of the field shirtless well before the game was over. He retired, and then un-retired, from professional football. Despite seeming to still have the desire to play, his football days are certainly behind him.
Roethlisberger was the quarterback Brown had his most individual success with on the field, but he did catch a touchdown from Brady in Super Bowl LV. Brown and Roethlisberger had a falling out towards the end of Brown's days in Pittsburgh, and Brown has since seemed apologetic towards Roethlisberger for his actions that led to the end of their relationship.
Even with Brown showing regret for his actions, it is still surprising to seem him say Roethlisberger was the best quarterback he played with when he played with the likes of Brady.
During Brown and Brady's time together in both Tampa Bay and New England, Brown caught 91 passes for 1,084 yards and nine touchdowns in just the regular season. The duo also played in three playoff games together during the 2020 season, and Brown caught eight passes for 81 yards and two touchdowns. Brown and Roethlisberger played together for nine seasons in Pittsburgh, so their production clearly outweighs the numbers he put up with Brady at quarterback.
Due to the longevity of Brown and Roethlisberger's time together, Brown having Roethlisberger with a leg up on Brady in his mind makes sense. However, it is shocking to hear Brown put Roethlisberger above the unquestioned best quarterback in NFL history.
Steelers Trio Ignited Football In Pittsburgh Throughout The 2010s
Despite the Steelers trio coming to a disastrous end following the 2017 season, it is still amazing to look back at the success they had. The trio combined for eight All-Pro bids between 2013 and 2017, and each player made the Pro-Bowl from 2014 through 2017 aside from Bell during the 2015 season when he was suspended for the first three games of the season and shortly after suffered a season ending injury.
Had the Steelers had a better defense during the years Brown, Bell, and Roethlisberger played together Pittsburgh would've had a better chance to add to their trophy case. The farthest the group ever got to winning the Super Bowl was in the 2016 season when they made it to the AFC Championship Game, but lost to the Patriots.
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